Jamie Carragher Speaks About Playing For Gerard Houllier

Liverpool Football Club has been blessed with some incredible managers over the years. I’m sure if you polled Reds from all over the world about their top 5 Liverpool managers of all time, most would include the French manager Gerard Houllier in their list. Under Houllier’s leadership, Liverpool were able to lift six major trophies including winning a treble (League Cup, FA Cup, and UEFA Cup) in 2000-01.

In a recent episode of his Podcast The Greatest Game Jamie Carragher and Michael Owen talked about what it was like playing under Houllier, including one bizarre thing players weren’t allowed to do.

“[Houllier would tell us before a final] ‘If I see anyone waving to a wife or a family member as you go out, I’ll bring you off in a minute…you’re going to war with them.’” Carragher said.

“People’s perception of Houllier is as this nice French uncle, whereas he was so tough, he was so hard, his team meetings were amazing – I absolutely adore that man.”

Football was different 20 years ago. It would be kind of silly for a manager to do this now, but Houllier had his ways back then.